Search for North Carolina Girl Ends Tragically

Shaniya Davis’ Body was Found a Week After Being Reported Missing

Nov 17, 2009 Elvira Nieto

The body of five-year-old Shaniya Nicole Davis, who was reported missing on Nov. 10, 2009 was found almost a week later. Her mother has been charged in the case.

Early in the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 the body of five-year-old Shaniya Davis was found near a rural road in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Volunteers, many of whom still held out hope that the little girl would be found alive, were shaken, shocked and saddened at the discovery.

Mother Sold Five-Year-Old Into Prostitution

Unfortunately, the death of little Shaniya only adds to the questions surrounding her disappearance. According to authorities, Shaniya’s mother, Antoinette Nicole Davis, 25 – who initially reported her daughter missing on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009 - has been charged with felony child abuse and human trafficking for selling her daughter into prostitution. It is expected that she will be charged with additional crimes soon.

Shaniya’s Father Speaks Out

Shaniya’s father, Brad Lockhart, gave a brief press conference in front of his home where balloons, stuffed animals and flowers were left for Shaniya on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009. Lockhart, who claimed his daughter primarily resided with him until one month ago, gave heart-felt thanks to law enforcement officials and volunteers who helped in the search for his daughter.

Following his brief statements, he took a few questions from the reporters gathered. Most questions concentrated around Lockhart’s feelings towards the mother of his daughter who now stands accused of selling Shaniya. Lockhart tried to keep his composure and said that with God’s help, he might be able to forgive her.

One reporter questioned him as to whether or not he’d been able to “wrap his head around” the allegations that Shaniya suffered sexual abuse as a result of the child-prostitution ring she’d been sold into. Lockhart, speaking with a broken voice said he was “appalled and disgusted” by the claim, but would comment no more.

Davis’ Family Do Not Believe the Abuse Charges

Antoinette Davis’ sister, Brenda Davis, 20, said she could not believe that her sister would ever harm her children and doesn’t believe the allegations against her to be true.

At her first court appearance on the same day her daughter’s body was found, Davis was reported to be calm and quiet, only providing one word answers to the questions posed to her by the judge.

Lockhart Spoke Directly to Shaniya at the Press Conference

It goes without saying that Mr. Lockhart greatly regrets allowing his daughter to live with her mother, but he said he thought it would be good for them both being that it appeared that Davis had finally gotten her life together.

Brad Lockhart spoke to his deceased little girl in front of television cameras. Unsuccessfully trying to hold back his tears, Lockhart said, "I'm sorry baby you had to go through this, but you are in a better place and in better hands."

Sources:

"Girl in Prostitution-Kid Case Found Dead". Associated Press. MSNBC Online. Retrieved 17 November 2009

Winter, Michael. "Body of N.C. Girl Found: Mother Accused of Selling Her for Sex". USA Today Online. Retrieved 17 November 2009

The copyright of the article Search for North Carolina Girl Ends Tragically in Law, Crime & Justice is owned by Elvira Nieto. Permission to republish Search for North Carolina Girl Ends Tragically in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Parent Holding Child's Hand

Emergency Vehicles

What do you think about this article?

---

NOTE: Because you are not a Suite101 member, your comment will be moderated before it is viewable.

post your comment

What is 1+2?